CLAUDIA ACUÑA

AVE DE LUZ

Delfin Records

Claudia Acuña is a vocalist, a bird, an instrument, a feeling, a heartbeat pulsing in the universe.  Her first song, “Chinga La Ka Chinga” dances out of my CD player with energy and beauty.  She co-wrote this composition with Manu Cosh and Carlos Henderson. It is part of a love letter she has written to her Chilean roots. Cultural feelings enveloped in this record release. She has spent three (3) decades weaving her South American music into the fabric of New York Jazz. This is her first album that features her own culture of Chile, instead of the broader Latin American cultural influences.

The collaboration of New York musicians and musicians playing traditional and native Chilean instruments adds authenticity and excitement to this recording.  Acuña’s voice is rich and authentic, resonating over the accordion, charango, (an armadillo shell guitar) trutruca (a long trumpet wind instrument) and zampoña (a pan flute).

Her original composition called “Piececitos de Niño” immediately pulls at my heartstrings.  Although I do not understand Spanish, I am still touched by Acuña’s sensuous vocals. The second time around, after the instrumental bridge, she sings the song in English.  The song seems to express a longing for her to see and experience a sky and ocean that’s far away from her current situation.  She invites the listener to fly along with her to precious memories, the ones pictured in her mind.

Claudia Acuña closes the album with “La Jardinera” that translates to “The Gardner.” It’s a waltz tempo and a poignant ballad.

This is an emotional and lovely journey into the heart of a great singer, composer and artist who has been blending her Chilean cultural roots in American jazz for over thirty years.

CLAUDIA ACUNA BAND: Claudia Acuña, vocals/composer/claps/tormento; Manu Koch, piano/keyboards/ composer; Pablo Vergara, piano; Andrés Pollak, piano/organ; Carlos Henderson, bass/ composer; Yayo Serka, drums/tormento/hand percussion/bombo Leguero; Pablo Zárate, accordion/Chilean pandeiro (tambourine); Paulina Garcia, spoken word; Daniel Kelley-Acuña, vocals; Fredy Torralba, charango/trutruca/zampopa.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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